• How can I find out the amount of my premium?
• I understand that my premiums are going up for 2000. Tell me more.
• When my youngest child turns 22 and only my spouse and I are covered under my self-and-family enrollment, will my premiums decrease? Can I enroll in a "self-and-spouse" enrollment?
• I am a new Federal employee. Why should my premium include Medicare enrolled annuitants? Why can't they have a separate enrollment category for people with Medicare?

How can I find out the amount of my premium?

See the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Guide. It has a complete listing of available Federal Employees Health Benefits Program plans and their premiums. The Guide is available on this website or through your human resources/personnel office or your retirement system. You will also receive a rate sheet from your current plan. See one of these Federal Employees Health Benefits Guides for your employment status:

• RI 70-1 Guide for Federal Civilian Employees
• RI 70-2 Guide for U.S. Postal Service Employees
• RI 70-5 Guide for Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) and Former Spouse Enrollees
• RI 70-6 Guide for OWCP Compensationers
• RI 70-8 Guide for Certain Temporary Employees
• RI 70-9 Guide for Annuitants
• RI 70-10 Guide for Federal Civilian EmployeesLarge print for the visually impaired

Each of the Guides shows the premiums for a specific group, like Postal employees, non-Postal employees, annuitants, TCC and Former Spouse enrollees, compensationers, etc. The total premium is the same for all enrollees, but the Government contribution is based on your employment. As a result, the share you must pay will depend upon your employment status.

Each of the Guides has a complete listing of available Federal Employees Health Benefits Program plans and their premiums. All Guides are available on this website or through your human resources office. The premiums for the plan you are currently enrolled in are included in the brochure you will receive from your plan.

I understand that my premiums are going up for 2000. Tell me more.

Competition in the marketplace has not effectively slowed the growth in FEHBP premiums. On average, an FEHBP member with self-only coverage will pay $33.04 every two weeks -- $2.94 more than in 1999. A member with family coverage will pay $71.76, or $7.09 more than last year. The Press Release announcing this year's health benefits open season stated that, "We must consider new and bold approaches so we can continue providing affordable, high-quality health care to our employees, retirees and their families. The increases of the last several years are unacceptable."

Healthcare costs continue to increase, especially for prescription drugs. Absent aggressive steps by OPM, the overall increases would have been even higher. To counteract the high cost of prescription drugs, members will find that many plans have changed their prescription benefit to encourage the use of mail-order drug purchases and the purchase of generic drugs. In addition, most participants will pay a minimum $10 copayment for all visits to a primary care doctor.

OPM encourages FEHBP members to look beyond a plan's premium. Review a plan's benefits, paying particular attention to prescription drugs, copayments and coinsurance. Each FEHBP member should review their health care needs and select the plan that offers the very best value.

The hallmark of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is quality and choice. Federal employees may choose among a considerable range of health plans. Those who take the time to review their choices will find that the Program offers something for everyone.

When my youngest child turns 22 and only my spouse and I are covered under my self-and-family enrollment, will my premiums decrease? Can I enroll in a "self-and-spouse" enrollment?

Your plan's premiums will not decrease due to your family's getting smaller, just as the premiums did not increase because you added children and your family grew. The law permits you to choose between self-only coverage or self-and-family coverage only. Other coverage types -- such as self-and-spouse, self-and-one-child [two children, three children, etc.], and self-plus-one -- are not available.

I am a new Federal employee. Why should my premium include Medicare enrolled annuitants? Why can't they have a separate enrollment category for people with Medicare?

Enrollees may choose from self-only coverage or self-and-family coverage. Other coverage types -- such as Medicare enrolled and/or Medicare eligible -- are not available. Interestingly, younger enrollees often benefit from older enrollees' Medicare enrollment. This is because substantial savings can be realized from an aggressive coordination of benefits program between the plan and Medicare; the savings are applied to all enrollees' rates.